DE2100160A1 - Container with liquid dispensing pump - Google Patents

Description

DIPL.-ING. KLAUS BEHN

DIPL-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER 2 1 Ό0

PATENT LAWYERS

8 MÖNCHEN 22 WIDENMAYERSTRASSE 6 TEL. (O811) 22 25 30-29 5192

Our reference: January 4th, 1997I

A 46O7O-ML / Se

DIAMOND INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION 5rd. Avenue, New York , New York, USA

Container with liquid dispensing pump

The invention relates to a container from which liquid is dispensed, or in other words container of the type equipped with a dispensing unit, such as a pump, removed from the container closure are carried and have a tubular portion such as the pump cylinder with which they are in the inside of the container protrude and with the help of the The contents of the container are sucked out.

In such liquid dispensing containers, it is common for the liquid dispensing pump to have a ventilation opening has, which penetrates the side wall of the pump rü above the pump piston, so that

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the inside of the container through this ventilation opening and the upper part of the cylinder is in communication with the surrounding outside air to reduce the pressure inside of the container to be kept essentially equal to the ambient pressure.

In such liquid dispensing containers, however, precautions are generally taken to prevent them Ventilation opening or the air passage channel between the ventilation opening and the outside air during transport to close the container and during the periods in which the container is not used, i.e. in times when it is not necessary to equalize the pressure between the inside and outside air of the container. The container is made of a flexible plastic material and occurs for some reason, e.g. because of permeability the container walls and the associated loss of container content, a pressure drop inside the container substantially below ambient pressure, if not the container will be unsightly deformed ambient air enters the container in any way can. This in turn gives the presumed buyer the impression of a bad product, though

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such a filled container is on display for sale.

If a pump is used, the air vent is automatically opened by the movement of the piston in its fully extended position is closed at the end of the pumping movement, it has been found that a closure is achieved before the ventilation is complete, i.e. before sufficient ventilation Outside air could enter the container in order to reduce the Replace previously pumped out goods. This can also be a reason for a partial deformation and thus an unsightly appearance the flexible container walls can be seen.

In such conventional liquid dispensing containers, in which the pump cylinder is equipped with a ventilation opening, an inclination during of use lead to the fact that liquid leaks out of the ventilation opening, this ventilation opening in addition is still clogged by the possibly sticky liquid. In addition, an increase in the internal pressure in a container in which the material or part of it has found its way into the ventilation opening, to one

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Leak exit upwards through the ventilation opening and the connected air ducts to the outside air.

In view of these drawbacks, such a conventional liquid dispensing container a combined diaphragm valve with diaphragm seal is provided, which combines with the container and the pump can be without the need to change the container or the pump, whereby air from the outside in can penetrate the container independently of the pump, whenever the external pressure is significantly higher than the pressure in the Inside the container rises.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this diaphragm valve with a seal connected to the dispensing pump in such a way that the air can only enter the container while The escape of air and also of the contents of the container through this ventilation path is definitely prevented. In one such preferred embodiment, the diaphragm valve is sealed with the dispensing unit assembled so that the ventilation path is always kept separate from the container contents, so that through this Container liquid can escape again through the ventilation path

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nor can this stick or clog. Such an arrangement has the advantage that the pump is used to deliver Container contents can also be pressed when the container is so steeply inclined that, if the invention is not in place, the contents of the container would cover the ventilation path and thereby tend to Container liquid to the outside through the ventilation path exit. Such an arrangement has particularly useful advantages when it is used in conjunction with a pump is used in which the ventilation path is only is then closed when the piston is fully pressed in, as the container fluid can then also escape is prevented by the ventilation path when it is turned on its side without the piston initially in locked in its fully depressed position.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, the combined diaphragm valve with seal complements the Invention the function of the ventilation path in that ambient air is admitted into the container in order to pass through the Dispensing unit to replace the withdrawn goods in the container. in the If necessary Can for different types of container contents

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the combined diaphragm valve with seal according to the invention, the ventilation opening with the associated paths and completely replace ducts to the ambient air., which in other words means that the ventilation opening can be omitted in the pump cylinder.

Optionally, the invention can also be connected to the pump cylinder in such a way that it has the effect the usual ventilation opening is not influenced, but only supported by air during operation of the dispensing unit is admitted into the container and also air can enter the dispensing unit independently from the ventilation opening, namely the latter is sealed off from the outside air during transport and storage.

Although the invention is described here in its preferred application to liquid dispensing containers, whose dispensing unit has a pump, it is in no way restricted to use in connection with pumps and also offers advantages with dispensing units of other types, e.g. pipettes or the like, as long as the dispensing unit has a tubular portion which extends into the

and

Container protrudes / through which the container contents are led out will.

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A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the upper end of a container with a dispensing pump, wherein the lower part of the pump has broken off;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the combined diaphragm valve with seal, as it is in the preferred embodiment is used;

FIG. J shows a section along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a detail in the same plane as FIG. 1, a slightly modified construction performing.

With 10 is a conventional liquid container in the drawing denotes whose walls are the flexible walls of a plastic bottle or the walls of a glass bottle wherein the container has an externally threaded neck 12 that of the internally threaded provided jacket part 14 of a conventional screw cap 15 is overlapped, which has an annular top surface 16 has which on the upper end of the container neck 12 rests. The container neck represents a filling and dispensing opening 13 of the container.

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Is through the central opening 18 of the closure cap introduced an ordinary dispensing unit D, shown here as a reciprocating dispensing pump of the usual type is, although the dispensing unit is also the tubular cylinder part of a dispensing pipette or some other tubular Can be dispensing unit that protrudes into the container.

The pump D includes an ordinary pump cylinder 20, which through the fill and discharge opening 15 in the The container hangs in at a distance from the neck of the container on all sides. Down the pump cylinder 20 is by a common Dip tube 22 extended, the lower end (not shown) extends to just above the container bottom, so that the liquid material is drawn up through the pipe 22 into the cylinder 20 with each working stroke of the pump piston 25, from where it is then ejected by the known dispensing head 24 in the usual manner. The piston 25 is after The top is preferably pushed upward by a spring and is placed on the finger rest 26 at the top of the dispensing head 24 depressed intermittently by the fingers. The upper end of the piston 25 is preferably of a removable top cap 28 covered and protected, which with its lower edge in a snap connection on a

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Collar 30 is blown open, which on a radial extension 32 sits at the top of the pump cylinder. The extension 32 extends through the central opening 18, and the annular top surface 16 of the cap is between the collar 30 and a conventional support flange 34 on the pump cylinder 20 enclosed and held near its upper end. The entire pump arrangement is thus through the closure

cap 15 held so that cap and pump as a unit in ^w

can be applied to the container in a known manner.

The pump cylinder is in accordance with common practice 20 is equipped with one or more vents such as 36 that form the side wall of the cylinder within of the container through at a point above the pump piston (not shown). This ventilation opening normally communicates the inside of the container with the outside air through the top of the pump cylinder and the gap between collar 30 and piston rod 23, which is reciprocated by the collar. The puncture the vent opening 36 is known. Air becomes air through them introduced into the container from the outside, which is then drawn out of the container when the dispensing pump is actuated Well replaced. In addition, at least part of the contents of the container can return to the container through them, which · got into the cylinder above the pump piston. 109829/121 p. ".

It is important in such a dispensing pump to provide means during the transport and storage of the full containers prevent container contents from leaking through the ventilation opening J56 can appear outwards if the container is partially or completely turned upside down. It is therefore customary to provide means which close the ventilation opening to the outside air when the container is transported or stored. Such means, which are well known to those skilled in the art, are shown in the drawing not reproduced.

The structure thus far described is well known and does not form part of the invention, but it has been description advantageous in order to make the invention understandable quickly and easily.

The arrangement so described has a particular disadvantage when the container 10 has flexible plastic walls and if the internal pressure in the container drops significantly below the external pressure for any reason can, whereby this differential pressure then leads to an unsightly deformation of the container. According to the invention is in cooperation with the container 10 and its dispensing unit D with a combined membrane valve

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Seal 38 is provided which, independently of the dispensing unit D, has the effect of letting outside air into the container when the pressure inside the container drops significantly below the outside pressure. The member 38 is made of a suitable elastomeric material such as polyethylene, natural rubber, or synthetic rubber. As FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show, the diaphragm valve with seal 38 is substantially annular so that its outer peripheral portion 38a is clamped between the upper end of the container shell 12 and the support flange 3 ² I- of the pump cylinder when the overall arrangement is assembled is. Both the puddle 34 and the sealing part 38a are clamped between the container neck and the closure cap.

To achieve a really effective seal between the container neck and seal portion 38a, the latter concentric sealing ribs 40 receives on its lower ^

side that rest on the container neck and there in the usual Way to create a tight seal. The container neck can also have concentric grooves (not shown) into which the sealing ribs penetrate, as described, for example, in US Pat. No. 3,179,306.

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In this preferred embodiment, the central portion or valve portion 58b of element 38 is frustoconical designed in the downward direction, and its walls also decrease in strength downward, so that they are in this direction are increasingly flexible. The valve part 38b surrounds with his Inner edge 42 of the pump cylinder and normally lies against it in a sealing manner. This ramp edge 42 represents a valve opening represents, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the cooperating with her section of the pump cylinder 20, so that the marginal edge is somewhat expanded when the elements are assembled and they come with a little bias tensioned around the pump cylinder.

It is therefore understood that the pressure inside the container 10 acts on the underside of the diaphragm valve with seal 38 and presses the conically downwardly narrowing valve section 38b sealingly inward against the pump cylinder 20, whereby the ventilation opening 36 in the pump cylinder is closed from the interior of the container. The circumferential lower edge 42 of the valve section runs here below the ventilation opening 36 ₁ .

The valve portion 38b and the pump cylinder 20

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each include an air chamber 41 which communicates with the outside air in a manner to be described below stands so that the top of the valve sections 58b under the influence of the external pressure is in contrast to the pressure inside the container, which is applied to the underside of the Valve portion 38b acts.

It still shows that the air space or the air chamber 41 via one or more radially extending grooves 44 in the area between support flange 34 and sealing part 38a the membrane seal 38 is in communication, since these grooves mounted on top of the sealing portion 38a are. The outer end of these grooves 44 is with the radial space 46 between jacket 14 of the closure cap and Threaded neck outside of the container in connection, the spaces between the threads of neck 12 and jacket 14 connect to the outside air.

The one in Pig. 1 thus shows that the diaphragm valve section 38b is an air inlet from the outside into the container whenever the external pressure rises significantly above the internal pressure of the container. This effect is completely independent of the pump and its ventilation opening 36 and can also be used during storage

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and the transport of the container take effect. This ventilation function can increase the ventilation effect of the pump cylinder ventilation opening 36 assist while the pump is working to replace the pumped contents to supply the air.

It is also understood that the attachment of the part 38 and the specific position in relation to the ventilation opening 36 changes the effect of this ventilation opening, namely in that only air flows through the ventilation opening in can enter the container while leakage of any container contents through the ventilation opening and also is prevented by the grooves 44.

The element 38 allows the pump to To operate the purpose of dispensing the contents of the container while the container can be tilted almost to the horizontal position, in which the container contents the ventilation opening 36 would already cover and flow out of it, the element 38 would not be present. The fact that that Element 38, the ventilation opening 36 always opposite the Shields the contents of the container, there is also the security that the ventilation opening is not clogged by the contents of the container and can become clogged.

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In the modified embodiment according to FIG. 1, the structure of the container and the dispensing pump are the same as the previously described embodiment, only the combined diaphragm valve with seal J80 has been modified somewhat so that its interaction with the pump is somewhat different. The sealing section 38Oa corresponds exactly to that previously described, as FIG. 4 also shows. The valve part M 580b, however, is designed in such a way that the lower edge 420 of the conical part encloses the pump cylinder at a location above the ventilation opening 36. The element 380 thus no longer shields the ventilation opening 36 from the container contents as in the previously described preferred exemplary embodiment, so that the ventilation opening 36 performs its conventionally known function without being influenced by the element 38O. The element 38O, however, via the function as a seal in its outer sealing section 380a, has the effect that its valve section 380b cooperates with the pump in such a way that air from the outside is always let into the container from the outside when the external pressure exceeds the Pressure inside the container exceeds. So wire ¹ so air can always enter the container, although the connection between the ventilation opening 36 and the outer

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runs in the usual way during transport and storage of the container is interrupted. But the valve part also works during the actuation of the dispensing pump j58Ob together with the pump in such a way that the effect the ventilation opening to the supply of outside air into the Container to replace the pumped out good is supported or even replaced. So when the ventilation opening 36 is completely omitted, then the valve section j8Ob of the element 58O takes over the function of outside air into the container to enter for the purpose of pressure equalization.

It can be seen that in this embodiment, the valve portion 580b with an upward and outward conical surface 45 on the pump cylinder and not cooperates with the cylindrical outer surface of the pump cylinder as in the previous embodiment, however the type of interaction remains essentially unchanged.

The latter embodiment is especially used in pumps whose ventilation opening is through the Fixing the piston in the fully depressed position closed during transport and storage

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is. If the contents of the container go due to the permeability of the The walls of a plastic container are lost, so outside air can enter the air regardless of the ventilation opening Enter container, so that this is prevented from being verfortnt by the external pressure, which as a result Otherwise, seal the ventilation openings tightly would happen.

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Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 1.} Liquid dispensing container with a dispensing pump, which is carried in the container and protrudes into the container with a pump cylinder through the discharge opening of the container and one of the cell wall forming the delivery port Has a distance, characterized by an annular diaphragm valve (38) made of elastically flexible material, the sealing at the container he opening (13) is connected to this, wherein the valve has an annular valve portion (38b, 380b) which normally is the pump cylinder (20) spanned tightly and the underside of which is exposed to the pressure of the container contents, while the upper side of the valve portion (38b, 380b) under atmospheric pressure. 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve element (38, 38O) consists of an elastomer Material consists and has a valve part (38b, 380b) which revolves around the entire opening (I3) and downwards conically narrowed. - 19 109829/121 5 3. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that a ventilation opening (36) is provided in the side wall of the pump cylinder (20), which creates a connection between the interior and the opening, the valve part (38b) sealing the cylinder (20) below the ventilation opening 06) . 4. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the cylinder has a support flange (34) which on the container (10) is fixed over the opening (13), and that the outer edge portion (38a, 380a) of the valve (38, 380) between this splash (34) and the container, creating a tight seal around the container opening (13) is stored. 5. Container according to claim 4, characterized in that an air chamber between the cylinder (20) and valve (38) (41) is present, which is formed between the flange (34) and valve (38). 6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that in the top of the valve (38) a transverse Groove (44) is provided, which the air chamber (41) with the - 20 - Outer edge of the valve to form a connection with the outside air connects. 7. Container according to claim 6, characterized by a closure cap (15) which is attached to the opening of the container is and the puddle (34) and the outer portion (38a, 38Oa) of the valve (38, 38O) opposite each other vtid specifies the container, 8. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the valve (38) is the cylindrical outer surface of the pump cylinder (20) surrounds radially. 9. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the pump cylinder (20) with a ventilation opening (36) is equipped, as well as with a truncated cone downwardly running thing (45) above the ventilation opening, which is surrounded by the valve (38O) as its seat. 10. Liquid dispensing container with a neck, which represents a filling and dispensing opening, and a closure, which is placed over the open end of the neck, one back - 21 - 109829/1215 and a reciprocating pump with a pump cylinder, which extends through the closure and the opening into the interior of the container with a distance on all sides from the neck, the pump having a piston arrangement in the cylinder is movable to and fro through its upper end, characterized by an annular diaphragm valve (58, 58O) with a flexible section (38b, 580b) made of elastomeric material, which with its inner edge part (42, 420) the The cylinder (20) sealingly encloses the opening (I5), while the cylinder with a radial support flange (54) near its upper end and between closure (15) and Container neck (12) is equipped, which between itself and the container neck (12) the outer edge portion (38a, 5ÖOa) of the valve (58, 580) tightly closing, wherein the cylinder (20) and the valve an air chamber (41) within the container opening between the splash (34) and the valve Λ (58, 580) include and means (44) for entry of foreign ^m air into the chamber (41) are vergesehen. 11. Containers / according to claim 10, characterized in that that the valve has a groove (44) on its upper surface, which extends from the air chamber (41) to the outer edge of the valve (58), while the closure (15) has a jacket (14) surrounding the container neck (12) - 22 109829/1215 and container neck and closure are designed so that between the groove (44) and the outside air connection. 12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that that in the cylinder (20) a ventilation opening (36) is formed is that between the inside of the cylinder and the air chamber? (41) creates a connection. 109829/1215